


The Pirate Bride

by PoisonChocolateCake



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Abigail the Princess Bride, Bottom Hannibal, Bottom Will, Die Humperdinck, Dread Pirate Lecter, Hand Jobs, Katz disguised herself as a man and ran away to sea, M/M, Murder Family, Oral Sex, Pirate AU, Princess Bride AU, Rough Sex, Seduction via wrestling, Will the awful sailor, but with much more pirates, this is like a dark Princess Bride AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-16
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-06-08 23:27:50
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 20,863
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6879826
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PoisonChocolateCake/pseuds/PoisonChocolateCake
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will has decided to leave his farm in the peaceful country of Florin to seek his fortune on the high seas. But there are more dangers lurking on the ocean waters than he could have ever imagined...and that's before he ever encounters the legendary Dread Pirate Lecter.</p><p>Who everyone knows, never takes prisoners.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Abigail stood on her tippy toes, trying to reach a large pot that hung from one of the sturdy roof beams of her thatched roof cottage. She stretched her arm as far as she could. Squinted, since the copper pot was reflecting the setting sun into her eyes.

It was all in vain, since her stature was far too small. But she heard someone enter the kitchen behind her and turned to face him with a bright smile.

"Will!" she greeted. "I thought you had already left for the sea! Oh! Will are you staying longer?"

Ever since Abigail's adoptive father had died in a hunting accident she had regarded her family's farmhand Will as an older brother. One nearly capable enough of filling a paternal role. But now, terrible news, Will had decided to leave Florin in order to seek his fortune at sea. Just because a year had gone by since his own father had passed!

"Sorry Abigail," replied Will in his usual gentle tone. "I'm just here to show the new farmhand Westley the ropes. I shall miss you too, you must realize."

Abigail was about to let slip a sharp reply to Will - who thought that he could just leave! But the new farmhand elbowed his way into the kitchen and then stared around. Will was covering his mouth with his hand to prevent a laugh from escaping as he watched Westley and Abigail stare at each other.

"Fetch me that pot farmboy," announced Abigail in an imperious tone. She was assaulting the new blond - blue eyed farm hand with a glare that Will would have wanted to duck. To his credit, the new farmboy simply fetched her the pot.

"As you wish," he replied. "Abigail."

Will tried his hardest to block out the scene, with all of his senses. The feelings from just Westley were blasting him off his feet, not to mention the more complicated ones from Abigail. He hastened to make his exit. The blue eyed man was jogging down the green hill so typical of Florin, and was headed towards his hut when a cry stopped him. To his surprise, Abigail had torn herself away from the sight of Westley and come running after him.

"I'll miss you Will!" she cried as she flung her arms around him.

"I'll miss you too Abigail," replied Will. "Try not to fall in love too quickly. No good comes of it."

"What do you mean?" demanded Abigail. "Fall in love?"

"Don't worry," soothed Will. "You'll be fine here. I shall return before you know it."

"I hope so," was her tearful reply.

Abigail's sadness weighed heavily on Will as he packed together his few belongings that night. He sank easily into a slumber in his narrow straw bed, but then found himself wide awake far before the cock crowed in morning.

Still, as he walked towards the seaside village where his ship was docked, he found himself leaving Florin in high spirits.

Even with rumors of the Dread Pirate Lecter running amok.

***  
"You can't actually expect me to believe that," scoffs Will. "That's ridiculous."

"It's true! After defeat, he eats them raw - with his bare hands! The Dread Pirate Lecter takes no prisoners!"

Will scoffs with disbelief. His conversation partner is inspired to greater detail.

"He eats the eyeballs first! Then the kidneys! Then guts like spaghetti!"

The man who was waiting at the gangway of the ship with Will had introduced himself as Katz. Now he was miming out the dreadful actions of the Dread Pirate Lecter.

"Wouldn't that just make him sick," argues Will. "I ate too much bacon once and I nearly...well I don't think anyone could eat that much. "

Katz bursts out laughing and Will feels his ears redden.

"...it would though," he mumbles to his feet. "Anyone would get sick if they ate people everyday."

"Getting sick is not supposed to be the scary part Will," cackles Katz. "You've got a lot to learn out here!"

Will looks at him, just out of the corner of his eye.

_Anything to get out of here. This isn't her family. This isn't her home._

_Anything._

_Become anyone._

_Just run._

_Succeed._

A seagull sailed through sun's brilliance in the bright blue sky and the ship's horn rang out loudly.

Katz punches Will in the arm, then grabs his own bag, and Will's. The gregarious character starts running up the gangway. Will stares at him.

Frowns.

That was a thought that didn't fit. Will looked up into the sky. Squinted again, and let the feeling well up, that something that didn't fit. It couldn't be his own emotional state, that flash of fierce ambition.

Looks like his condition could escalate in strange lands.

Well, Katz had taken his bag. He was excited to go onboard the ship. So Will follows him.

Everything would be alright.

***

"Is that all you've got Will? I'd like to see how you fare with the Dread Pirate Lecter!"

As he wiped away the trickle of blood from his lip, Will cursed the day he had ever decided to set sail to find his fortune.

His fellow sailor, who had struck him, turned to his companions and let out a booming laugh.

Why had he ever left Florin?

***

Will was hugely attached to his land, his pastures, his dogs, his lambs, even his goats. He realized that now. The constant pitching of planks underneath his feet on the sea made him feel uneasy even on calm days. Will supposed that he should be grateful to have steady employment and a chance at adventure on the high seas. But mainly he felt sick of the nearly-rotten food, sick of the rude shipmates, and sick of the excruciating routine that the high seas demanded.

With the exception of Katz, the other sailors regarded him with a mixture of pity and condescension. Will had to work very hard just to keep up with his regular tasks. His hands were often sore and bleeding. His head buzzed as if it were a beehive, now that he was surrounded by people all day long. In Florin, back on the farm, he had been wealthy with solitude. Although he now never lacked for company, he was usually too exhausted to amuse himself below decks.

Aside from the constant stench of alcohol, Will could have easily intuited how some of the other sailors amused themselves. Even if he'd had no particular gifts, the noises at night and loud crude insinuations would have been enough of a clue. He'd walked into his cabin, shared with 20 other men, in the middle of a watch one day though. He'd seen one of the of the crew - Hobbs … making a beast with two backs with the captain's valet Bill.

He'd clapped a hand over his mouth in time to prevent a squeak from escaping, and started to exit backwards. That decision proved to be his greatest mistake though. Not looking where he was going, Will banged into the beam of the door with a very loud thump as he exited. Hobbs managed to look up from his activities and beset Will with a glare that made Will's heart start to hammer.

Then the smaller man, Bill, made a loud groan of protestation and Hobbs returned to rutting into him while Will ran off.

Will stared at his hands that night in the mess.

Visions of the two men swam in and out of his mind's eye. He knew he didn't care much for Hobbs. Bill had made less of an impression, Will found it harder to see him. But again the lewd sounds the strange couple had made echoed in his ears. Uncertainty swelled through him in time with the rolling of the waves. What was this feeling?

"Well, don't you look like you've got a lot of thoughts in your pretty little head."

Hobbs sits down next to Will in the mess and leers at him. A long scar veered across his temple from his eyebrow to his cheek. Will looks at him.

It was as though a light flashed.

_The woman had approached him, she had been wanton, but now, now she was attacking him, she was nowhere near as large as him and he roared as he smashed the hand holding the knife, he smashed the face, he smashed the throat, he'd leave this town forever, he'd drink their blood. There would never be another like her._

The light went dim.

With a gasp, Will looks back up at the man he now realizes is a murderer. In cold blood. His heart feels as though it might hammer out of his chest. The man was laughing at him. The other sailors, seated near him, had shifted away minutely. To Will's horror, Hobbs's hand reached out towards him and roughly rubbed the side of his head. In a very familiar fashion.

"You look as though you've seen the Dread Pirate Lecter himself," laughs Hobbs. "Is it so frightening to speak to the rest of us?"

Will presses his lips together and finds he canonly gather the courage to look to the large man's eyebrow. It seems close enough.

"There will never be another like her," Will tells Hobbs. "You loved her so much you wanted to keep her with you always. In the woods where you came from."

To his surprise, Hobbs throws him to the floor. Will spares a moment to fiercely resent his condition.

"Witch," he hisses. "You'll regret this forever."

"Leave him alone!"

The voice is stern, and unexpected. Will looks up to see - Katz he realizes, an imposing figure if ever - Will looks closer. Oh.

Hobbs laughs loudly, and claps his arm around Will's shoulder. He leans in just a bit too close. Will feels his heart seize.

"Put away your claws Katz, we're just having a laugh."

Will feels that he is shaking. He looks around to find the source of his fear and finds that the Captain's valet is glaring at him.

The light goes off again.

_It's fun to watch. He just loves to watch. The man is so large. So powerful. This blue eyed one. He won't last long._

The light is dim.

Will realizes he's leapt out of his chair and knocked it over. Everyone is looking at him. The entire mess hall. Even the Captain has turned his head and appears to be somewhat bemused. The valet wants to murder him. Hobbs wants to murder him. Bill wants to watch. He knows in his heart they have done it before.

Will runs.

He doesn't exactly know why he runs back to his bunk. The swinging hammock has never provided much comfort before. But closing his eyes and gasping for breath seems to aid somewhat. A warm presence settles down next to him. Blinking his eyes open, Will realizes it's Katz.

"You're not actually afraid of the Dread Pirate Lecter, are you?" she asks. "He might be bloodthirsty in more than one way -but we'll never run into him out here. He terrorizes more Northern seas."

Will lets out a bark of laughter.

"No," he admits. "No it's all just - it's a bit too much. I probably shouldn't be out here. At sea. This isn't good for me."

Katz stares at him with disbelief.

"You don't understand what some people would give up just to be here."

Biting his lip, Will nods. Reflects on what else his condition has revealed to him.

"Bad luck to have a woman on board."

To his surprise, Katz responds by grabbing a pillow and shoving it over his face.

"I didn't hear that!" she snarls. "There is no way I heard that! There are no women on this ship!"

Will shoves weakly at the pillow and Katz relents easily enough.

"Don't know why I even mentioned it," he sighs. "I'm the one with the bad luck."

"Hobbs is nothing to worry about," insists Katz. His friend removes the pillow with a casual air. "He's a complete fake."

They stare at each other for a moment, and then Will moves to the side to make room in his hammock. Katz lays herself down next to him. The two sway together, amiably.

It's a rare moment of peace.

***

It all changes at the end of the next watch.

Will is exhausted. He sleeps poorly at sea.

Which is why Will never notices the fist coming at the side of his head as he rounds the corner from the mess hall. It throws him to the floor. His lip is bleeding.

"Get back up!"

Hobbs is laughing at him. He should have expected this attack.

Will rubs his lip.

Blood is rushing through his ears. As if from very far away.

"Is that all you've got Will? I'd like to see how you fare with the Dread Pirate Lecter!"

As he wiped away the trickle of blood from his lip, Will cursed the day he had ever decided to set sail to find his fortune.

His fellow sailor, who had struck him lets out a booming laugh. Will sees feet approaching in his peripheral vision and lunges at them. To his slowly dawning horror, when he next lunges at the person on the floor, it isn't Hobbs. But there is a knife in the man's hand so Will doesn't stop.

Will gets his hands around the man's neck before he realizes he's grabbed Bill. The Captain's valet. Hobbs is shouting for help now.

Dimly Will realizes the gravity of his situation. There are more sailors filling the hallway now.

"He attacked Bill with that knife for no reason! I saw it!"

Hobbs is red faced and furious.

The last thing Will thinks before he is clobbered over the head is that he loathes his condition.

***

Will stares at the bars of his cell on the brig. He should have known better than to hit Bill. Does know better.

It feels as though he's been down below decks for an eternity. At one point he had thought that he was to be starved to death, only to have a small crust of bread brought to him. The sailor who handed him the small amount of food wasn't familiar and he sneered at Will as if he were the scum of the earth.

From what little Will can tell with no porthole, it's the middle of the night when he is awoken by the sound of guns.

The ship pitches to a different angle suddenly, and Will gasps as he is thrown against the bars of his cell. He barely avoids knocking his head against the steel. Voices from above are shouting, panicked and terrified.

What on earth was happening? If this was an attack, the upper decks would be a melee by now, he realized. He wouldn't stand a chance with his meager fighting experience. If he could even get out of the brig…

"Will!" With a gasp, Will realized Katz was looking for him. "Where are you Will?!"

"This way," he croaked, his voice disused. "Katz, what's happening?"

"It's the Dread Pirate Lecter," said Katz, voice grim. Will nearly protested that this was no time for jokes until he caught his friend's eye. "He's traveled south. We're not too far from land though."

Katz had produced several picks and was jimmying the lock to his cell. Will wonders for a moment where Katz had acquired this skill.

"I'm going to swim for it," she announces as Will's cell door swung open. "Only way to avoid being Dread Pirate Lecter's new dinner guest. Follow me."

Will nods and follows after her. How hard could swimming to land be? He'd floated well enough in the pond on the farm in Florin.

The two avoid the fighting on the upper decks and head aft. It was in vain though, Will realized. There are too many footsteps stomping around for them to escape undetected. The ship had been boarded. The sounds of battle were raging overhead.

Will didn't want to look. But he could hear, and it was gruesome.

"Maybe we should hide," he hissed. "There - the aft stairs!"

"No!" exclaimed Katz. "There's got to be a hole in the side of this ship by now - and I'm headed for it."

The ship listed to port abruptly, and Will and Katz were thrown to the ground. With a stifled shriek, Katz rolled down the stairs and barely dodged the debris where the lower stairs collapsed after her. With some relief, Will saw that a porthole had smashed open next to where she had landed. Her longed for hole in the ship.

"Go!" he hissed at Katz. "I'll find you!"

To his horror, he realized that voices were coming down the hall. Ignoring Katz's protests, he turns to face his fate and races towards them. He had no weapon, Will thought wildly. He'd boxed a bit - but perhaps he could just - just bite - Hobbs.

Hobbs was rushing towards him, his face twisted with a snarl. Barely thinking, Will starts running up the mid ship stairs, away from Katz. He bursts onto the upper deck and gasps. After so long below decks, the even the moonlight makes him blink his eyes. It looked as though the entire deck was now black and shining.

Will feels himself slipping, and falls to the deck. The deck _was_ shining, Will realized. The black color glistening in the moonlight was blood. He stared at his hands. Covered in it. The rest of the sailors, he realized dimly. The Dread Pirate Lecter took no prisoners.

It was true.

Hobbs was upon him then, and Will shouted. He grabbed at the other mans hands, smashed at them. Somehow he had wrestled the knife away from Hobbs. Hobbs was biting him. It was slow, and then sudden, when Will stabbed upwards and watched the blood spray out of Hobbs's neck and cover his face. It seemed as if it were too real and too distant all at the same time, then Hobbs stopped moving.

The farmer collapses on the blood covered deck.

Dimly, he realizes he can hear a slow round of applause from behind him. Fear grips him and he turns with a gasp. There, outlined by the moonlight is a tall and imposing figure. His shoulders are broad and the moon glints against graying blond hair. He was dressed all in black, in a sharply tailored, though extravagant suit. Most telling of all, his mouth is ringed with what could only be human blood.

Will feels his chest heaving as he locks eyes with none other than the Dread Pirate Lecter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ETA: I'm a real smart lady who posted a chapter in haste then deleted it. Real update coming within the day!

Will stares into the Dread Pirate Lecter's eyes.

The tall man stares back.

With a deep breath, Will tries to look at the pirate. To _see_ him. It may be his only chance for survival.

Nothing.

He _can't_ see him. Where Will is usually met with a cacophony of sound and a flood of feeling, the pirate's eyes deliver nothing but the moonlight reflecting off their darkness. Same color as blood, realizes Will.

More like a wall though, where Will is accustomed to a window.

The dreadful figure's lips are curving into a smile though, and he speaks.

"You've just killed a member of your own crew," states the pirate. "Your morals and values should have surely prevented such an occurrence."

Will stares at his hands again. Licks his lips and then trembles at the taste of the salty tang of blood.

He isn't bleeding though.

The pirate appears to be stifling a laugh now.

"I've never had a valet though," he remarks. "Come along now."

"What is this boss," objects a figure emerging from the shadows. It's a short and stout man with curly hair. "I only just finished gutting this ship's captain. Bring him here."

"No," rebukes the Dread Pirate. "I've never had a valet before. Bring him with me. He'll do very well when he joins us."

A blonde woman emerges from the shadows and lays her head onto the Dread Pirate's shoulder. "Why bother?" she asks. "You'll just wind up killing him in the morning."

The stout man and one with dark skin are pulling Will along the rest of the dastardly crew. To his surprise, Will sees that his hands are being bound with rope. He is a prisoner now, he supposes.

"You're the Dread Pirate Lecter," complains Will dully. He hadn't been fond of any of the crew except Katz - she must be safe! But it still horrified him to see the other sailors all sliced to ribbons. "You take no prisoners."

"Please," sighs the man. "Address me as Hannibal. I do hope we can be friendly."

***

Will sits in the long and narrow boat, one of many that the Dread Pirate's crew had used to attack his ship. Filled with despair, he watches the vessel that he'd set out on to seek his fortune tip skywards and then sink beneath the waves.

He meets the eyes of the leader again. The Dread Pirate Lecter has been facing towards their destination. But now, his eyes turn to meet Will's. His head tilts in a manner reminiscent of a large mountain puma that Will had had to chase away from his flock back at the farm in Florin.

The small boats are turning around a corner now. The dreaded ship Revenge is coming into sight.

***

Will expected to be bundled down to the brig immediately after they board the ship. If his luck holds. To his surprise, he is led to an elegantly appointed stateroom.

The walls are a rich dark chestnut and the windows are covered in a rich red velvet. Pieces of elegant art cover the walls and various sculptures from foreign lands are arranged throughout the study. Will's eye's were caught by a suit of armor, in a foreign style. He's never seen anything like it, and his gaze is only momentarily diverted by the pirates who are tying him to a wooden chair.

"Tighter please," sighed the Captain. "It won't do to have him get loose and try to run amok." His gaze lingered over Will's figure. "There, that's enough."

The two sailors exit the cabin and Will is left staring at his feet, while the Captain stares at him.

"You must forgive me, but under the circumstances, I fear we have not been properly introduced. Hannibal Lecter." The man steeples his fingers and leaned forward. "Now Will, explain to me why is it, I have spared your life."

His tone is commanding, though indulgent. Will stares up at him then, startled.

"A funny thing happened while I dug my teeth into the neck of your previous Captain's valet," continued the tall man. "Several of your former crewmates began to wail - to be expected I suppose - and then, bemoaning their tragic fate, many began to blame a witch."

Will's eyes shot up and he stared at Hannibal, horrified. The man's maroon eyes appeared to be twinkling in the candlelight.

"Do you know why that might be?" he asked. "A witch would be quite fascinating to me. One who can read minds."

"You're the Dread Pirate Lecter," snarls Will. "You killed everyone - you're going to eat them."

The man's hair shines in the candle light as his lips quirk upwards.

"I see my reputation precedes me," sighs the pirate. "Occupational hazard I do suppose." He appears contemplative for a moment. "They called you Will - they cursed your name - and they wished that you would burn," sighs Lecter. "Their hatred was as real as their fear. Unenlightened pigs. Unburdened by reason. They cursed your name as they died."

Will felt wounded, irrationally. Why had they hated him so much? Even as they were dying?

"I see your chagrin - Will, please, indulge me. Show me your craft. I long to - "

It is as if Will if watching his wild actions from the perspective of one who is very far away. He felt certain Lecter only wanted to torture him.

"You ate everyone! Everyone on my ship is dead! I'm your prisoner here and you want to kill me," he accuses. "You take no prisoners - just hurry up! Do what you want!"

The Dread Pirate Lecter's eyebrows raise further and further throughout this diatribe.

"Now Will," he remarks. "Surely you realize I could not have eaten all of your crew-mates already - I'd be rather ill, at best."

"You are nothing but a beast."

Will punctuated this by spitting on the table.

The Dread Pirate Lecter frowned at him for a moment, then sighed.

"I must admit, I am very disappointed. Very well, good night William."

Responding to a wave of the captain's hands, the sailors re-emerged from their posts and began to pull at the ropes binding Will to the chair.

"Take him to the brig then," sighed the captain. He swallowed. "And remember Will - I'll most likely kill you in the morning."

Will stumbled at the threat, but when he looked back at the captain, the man had already begun writing on a few papers at his desk.

***

To his utter surprise, the brig on the pirate ship Revenge, was much larger and cleaner than the facility on his previous vessel. He was surprised enough to remark upon it, and the sailors accompanying him burst out laughing.

"He's a soft touch our captain," laughed the man. "Only the best for his crew. Except for when he's eating you of course."

Will shrank back onto the surprisingly soft hammock and stared at him with wide eyes. The sailor laughed even harder, and exited the brig, leaving Will to a dreadful rest.

***

The next day, several of the Revenge's crew came to gawk at Will in his cell.

Rumors of the captured witch had spread quickly.

An elegant blonde woman. A dark skinned man with a shrewd countenance, a pale stout man who couldn't tear his eyes away. Even a rather odd man who wore antlers affixed to his head. They just stared at him, the oddity brought on-board on a whim - by their captain.

At last Will spoke to one of them, the elegant blond woman he recognized from before.

"Well then, you're very familiar with Captain Lecter."

The woman gives him a short nod and Will sees her cunning, her sharp mind and doesn't dare to ask himself what sort of a woman has made her home on a Pirate ship.

"Is this entire crew fed on human remains?"

The woman tilts her head to the side. Stares at him with a calm, perceptive gaze.

"No," she answers. "That would be unsustainable. But Hannibal's reputation isn't for naught."

She circles over to William.

"I've seen him fight many battles over the years," she says calmly. "He has always been victorious. Never has come close to a taste of defeat. One thing I have observed - in every battle the captain always manages to tear out a man's throat with his teeth."

Will gasps in shock and she smiles.

"That ferocious attack is only part of what won him the loyalty of this crew. But you'd be a fool to think he takes no pleasure in it." The woman gets up to take her leave but pauses for a moment to look back at Will. "You'd be wise to be cautious. Even more cautious than you think is necessary."

Even if he is brought a hot meal, and his bed is wide, there is no sleep for Will that night.

***

The captain had William brought to his rooms again the next day.

Will braced himself for an interrogation, but none was forthcoming. The Dread Pirate Lecter instead seemed perfectly happy just sketching and writing. It made Will twitch.

Was this really the same man who devoured his enemies, who had cut a bloody streak through all of the Northern seas? Plundering all of Scotland and terrifying so many villages into simply retreating from the seaside? He seemed to care for nothing but his books and his lunch, which was brought by a young man the captain addressed as Matthew.

To his surprise, the captain drew himself away from his books and began to set a table. Will watched in growing horror as the captain set out two plates, two cups, two sets of cutlery. He then served out two portions of food and turned to Will with an expectant air.

"You must be starved. I do hope our repast shall suffice. Do forgive me this action."

This last statement was punctuated by Hannibal lifting Will and bringing him, chair and all, to the table. The captain unbinds his hands. He seems to linger a long moment afterwards, but Will is terrified to even think that the man just _smelled_ him.

Will stared down at the food set out before him. Gifts from Lecter.

It was a thick stew filled with bright vegetables and pale chunks of flesh. After months of living on salt pork and infested hard tack it smelled delicious but -

"I can't trust you," declared Will in a sad tone, staring at his food. His mouth was watering, his stomach was rumbling but - "is this my captain?"

"I think you'll find Will, that _I_ am your captain."

Will stares at Lecter, and realizes he has caused genuine offense.

"I'm sorry," he finds himself saying. The man's face relaxes. "This does smell good." Lecter smiles at this. "But I - I just saw you-"

_Mouth ringed with human blood, laughing at Will as he has just gutted Hobbs._

"I understand," replies Hannibal, settling into the chair opposite Will's. "You must begin to trust me slowly - but this process is mutual. Tell me one thing about yourself and I shall inform you of the main ingredient in the stew."

It was uncomfortable for Will, having no real way to know if the man was telling the truth or not. He raised his eyes, and met Hannibal's.

There is still no flash of insight.

"I didn't expect you, the Dread Pirate Lecter, to put so much stock in appearances," sighs Will. "Was the loyalty of your crew so hard-won."

"It was." The statement sounds earnest. "Should anyone join my crew I must provide for them. Take care of them, alleviate all their discomforts. Only the best for my crew. Without that, we would be no better than pigs. Go on, tell me one thing."

But Will still can't see Hannibal. He supposes it can't hurt to tell one thing.

"I was tired of living by myself in Florin," he admits. "But now I can't see so easily, see people the way I could in Florin. Their drives, emotions. Their hopes."

Will looks up and Captain Lecter is favoring him with a small smile.

"It is chicken," he informs Will. "A recipe I learned in Espania. Do eat it, our ship's food could spoil quickly."

Thinking of the months of hard tack, Will lifts a spoonful to his mouth and nearly moans. Perfectly roasted vegetables, tomatoes bursting in his mouth. Juicy chicken and aromatic herbs.

"It's delicious," admits Will. He begins eating quickly.

"Will you tell me more of your gift then Will?" The captain is staring intently. "Could you direct these powers of perception towards me?"

"No," admits Will. He recalls the blonde woman's words. Caution would be prudent. "There's nothing interesting."

The captain gazed at Will with an inscrutable expression.

"That shall change."

The two men finish dining together, and Will asks a few questions about the origins of the sculptures in Lecter's quarters. The captain is delighted to explain them.

Will finds himself escorted back to the brig in relative peace.

***

The next morning Will awakens to see the captain staring at him with his head cocked to the side. He is very still, even as Will startles at the sight of the man gazing at him in his sleep. Will is reminded of a barn cat that had chased a mouse into a corner, and was slowly waiting for it to emerge. A barn cat that has adorned itself in fine tailoring, but a predator none the less.

With a slow ripple, the captain's face re-emerged.

"Hello Will," he greeted. "I think it's about time I give you a tour of the ship."

Will glances around and realizes that the door to his cell in the brig has been propped open. Had it even been shut behind him overnight? He swings his feet to the deck and looks around, uncertain.

"I shall be waiting for you outside Will," continues the captain. "And I do hope you appreciate the trust being placed in you - to roam freely."

It is impossible to hide the leap of hope and terror in his heart. To roam freely? Surely there must be some way to escape -

"-and if you are thinking of escaping, dear William, I must point out that we are currently sailing through eel-infested waters." The captain gives Will an eerie smile then. "So I must assure you, they have developed a rather insatiable taste for human flesh."

"I've heard that one before," grumbles Will. "Let me ready myself."

The captain nods and exits. Will paces over to the washbasin he was brought, apparently while he was sleeping. Could he try to make an escape? There must be some way of doing it. But then again, concluded Will as he dried off his hands by running them through his curly hair, he had best be cautious.

He exited the brig and looked around the hallway. They were still a ways below decks so he blinked a bit, adjusting to even lower light.

"This way William," announced the cabin. "I shall bring you to the crew's mess hall first. Then the mess, then the upper decks."

Will nodded slowly.

"Am I to join your crew Captain Lecter?" he asked. "I think you'll find that there are many sailors with more skills than myself, for that task."

"Nonsense William," rebukes the tall man. His strides are quick, even though Will still finds the ships planks a bit rocky beneath him. "We are over-equipped with staff at the moment. It would be prudent to begin expanding my fleet soon."

Will stares in shock.

"I do apologize that your own vessel was sunk - but it really wasn't any good. Bedelia shall likely prove herself more than capable to become captain of her own vessel."

"Bedelia - that blonde woman?"

"Yes," nods Hannibal. "One of my most loyal crew."

Captain Lecter says this just as they emerge above decks. Will disguises his stumbling as a reaction to the bright sunlight on his face for the first time in days. The woman's loyalty hadn't been explicitly stated - but it seemed she had issued a warning. Could the Dread Pirate Lecter actually have such a blind spot?

It didn't seem likely though.

Will gazed upwards and saw that there were plenty of crew manning the rigging and swabbing the decks - but they were a minority.

The crew members on deck were mainly laying about. They were sunning themselves and playing cards. More than a few were deep into their cups and singing songs - that died off quickly as the Captain approached. Will was a bit shocked. On his previous vessel the crew had been worked to the bone and had absolutely no time for leisure - work and sleep was all they knew.

Also unlike the crew of his previous vessel, the captain here was greeted with enthusiasm. Will was almost surprised at the lack of formality in the crew's greetings - for the most part.

Will recognized the eager eyes of Mattias as he leapt to his feet and gave the captain an enthusiastic salute.

"Captain!" he greeted. "Is the prisoner to join us soon?"

He gazed at Will with unguarded curiosity.

"If all goes well Mattias," replies Lecter. "I do hope you shall ensure he is comfortable."

The young man nods enthusiastically and Will finds himself glancing back at him as he is ushered off to the mess.

_I'd kill for him - I'll kill for him -_

"He wants to kill someone for you," blurts out Will. "And soon. He's so devoted-"

"Very true," nods Lecter as he directs Will into the mess hall. "Your gift?"

Will groans internally and looks down at his feet.

"You can see I'm no witch - it's nothing of the kind -"

"But of course," agrees Lecter. "These fearful superstitions aid no one. Reason, applied to the study of the human mind - the potential for scientific advances - ah but I do get ahead of myself. William, you'll want to take care where you sit in the mess."

Will looks up at Lecter again, and finds him pensive. He looks around the mess. Once again, he was shocked by the comforts on the pirate ship. The mess was sparking clean and an enticing smell was emanating from the kitchen. There were even citrus fruits hanging from baskets - Will's eyes lit up.

"Take one," instructed Lecter. He handed Will an orange. "It pains me to think that you could have become ill from poor conditions."

If this is how he wins the loyalty of his crew, muses Will as he sinks his teeth into bright fresh flesh of the fruit. It's understandable.

"Tobias, Franklyn," calls Lecter. "I do hope you've prepared a decent meal for our new crew member."

"Oh of course captain!" The enthusiastic response is delivered by a stout curly haired man who rushes to Lecter's side. "It's not quite a bouillabasse but I'm sure you'll be pleased!"

"As always Franklyn," replies Lecter in a gentle tone. "Will, I shall leave you here. I must attend to charting our course - but Franklyn do ensure he is looked after."

"Yes sir!" replies the man with enthusiasm.

Will can't help but feel a bit lost as he watches the man leave. Perhaps, he realizes with a cold shock, because he's now alone on a ship full of literally-bloodythirsty pirates.

"So you're the witch," enthuses Franklyn. "That's Tobias -" the man in question gives him a slow nod. "-and you should sit over here. With us. We haven't been with the crew that long."

They settle down at a long table and watch as some other crew members begin filing into the mess, ready to receive their own bowls of soup.

"No?" asks Will. He's shocked. "Not that long? But I heard ah - I heard -"

"That the Dread Pirate Lecter takes no prisoners?"

This is said by Matthew, who has taken his soup and is sitting down next to Will. He slides in close. Will wants to startle backwards at the man leans in close to examine him. After a long moment he seems satisfied.

"There is no better captain on all seven seas," declares Matthew. "Captain Lecter _doesn't_ take prisoners - we all wanted to join this crew - so you must be something special."

Despite that Will is uncomfortable, he sees that Matthew is very, highly interested in him. Not wanting to give too much of himself away, he just nods at his soup. The rest of the crew begin to chat around him, and Will is comforted by the space they give him. No one forgets about him - they hand him bread and fruit - but don't pressure him to be sociable.

And also - fresh bread! At sea! No wonder Captain Lecter raids towns and villages so often - if this is the food served on his ship.

Will is beginning to feel comfortable. He is well fed, and no one is cruel to him. Tobias and Franklyn agree to share their cabin with him, although Matthew protests.

"But Matthew, you've already got Gideon and Tier in your cabin - you can't have four!" protests Franklyn.

 _Four?_ Will had roomed with twenty men previously. A smile threatens to emerge on his face. But suddenly, he feels eyes on him, and looks up to see Bedelia giving him a look of cold fury.

He shrinks in on himself.

 _Caution_ , he reminds himself. The woman had told the truth when he had warned him to be cautious - and as much as he had just enjoyed the company of his companions, he _knew_ that Bedelia was the only one among them that took no pleasure in the carnage wrought on the seven seas.

It was a thought he clung to his chest as he drifted off to sleep that night.

Outside the brig and in his new cabin. At last.

***

The waves were black oil.

Soon they would be on fire.

They rocked the ship back and forth. Will moaned and rose to his feet. Dropped down to the deck again. He rubbed his hands through his hair. Feverish, he recognized distantly. The wooden boards felt too cold underneath his feet, then too hot.

At last a gentle hand grasped him.

"He has a fever," said the cool clipped tone, "Bring him to my cabin."

"But captain!"

"Bring him now," snarls the voice. "Then report to the brig yourself. I do not tolerate insubordination."

Will whimpers. The voice is angry and he doesn't like that. He feels like one of his own flock now, a helpless lamb, pressing his body against the man who is making the voice. Stumbling over his feet, he realizes that at last he has arrived at a soft bed.

Throughout the long night Will tosses and turns, unable to sleep or to wake. But cool, calm hands attend to him, pressing cold compresses against his forehead and soothing his brow. His mouth is pried open to be fed hot and cold liquids. It makes him protest, whimper. Alternately he wants to push away or cling to the body next to him.

At one point, there are two people in the room examining him. He opens his eyes and stares into a pair of cool grey ones. Feeling rushes in to his own fevered mind.

_Trapped, you're trapped. You mind will save you from this prison but - but you don't deserve salvation. You killed him. The guilt, the shame. His flesh under your hands._

_It's a thrill. You're not a murderer, but it's a thrill._

"NO!" wails Will. "No!"

He lashes out and catches his hand on some blond hair. It's Hobbs. He knows it's Hobbs.

Hands push at him then, and with a whimper, he clings to the other body next to him.

By the morning his fever breaks and he opens his eyes, confused.

For a long moment Will thinks that he had been brought to the Manor house of his farm in Florin. His view is obscured by white sheets. But the rocking of the ship soon shakes him back into awareness. When he lifts his eyes, he is greeted by the sight of the captain, writing in one of his leather bound tomes.

He opens his mouth to speak and nothing but an odd sound comes out.

Hearing Will wake up, the captain rushes to his side. He pulls out some pillows for Will to sit up on. Fusses with the sheets on the bed, brings new ones.

"You're awake," he says eagerly. "Will, I can't tell you how relieved I am. You had a terrible fever."

Something about the man's demeanor makes Will tense.

"We're going to raid Mairland in the morning and I would have been dreadfully anxious to leave you here alone."

Lecter reaches out a hand and cups Will's cheek. Somehow, Will just presses his cheek into the man's touch and the captain inhales sharply. Will blinks slowly.

"Wait - a raid?"

"Yes," replies the captain. "I had hoped that you could come along to fight."

He pauses for a moment in their bed - no his bed - and Will is struck with a vivid memory of clutching to that broad chest in his fevered state.

"I - I can't fight. I can't kill anyone."

It is reckless of him to admit it. The captain's eyes narrow.

"William, we are attacking Mairland at dawn. You will participate in the attack. You have other gifts than killing." Hannibal's hands clench at him. "I won't have it said I'm keeping you prisoner."

He bends his neck down and noses at Will's hair. Will is shocked to realize Hannibal intends to keep him here. In his bed. Somehow, he finds himself clutching at Hannibal's chest. Seeking comfort in his embrace - even though it is Hannibal himself who has terrified Will.

The action seems to appease the man.

"Goodnight Will," he whispers. "You have done very good work today."

He pauses.

"I do hope I won't have to kill you in the morning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oops I forgot to link my [tumblr here](http://poisonchocolatecake.tumblr.com)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like an utter twit for posting and deleting. But this is it - the chapter for real this time.
> 
> Apologies to anyone who gets too many notifications!

Will doesn't sleep well that night.

He'd like to blame the initial easiness that he drops into slumber with, on the lingering exhaustion from his fever. The fact that the Dread Pirate Lecter had taken him prisoner on the ship Revenge was plain as day. But Will was refusing to let this fact sink in.

Also the fact that Hannibal didn't seem to have any intention of letting Will leave his side.

Will felt somewhat out of place in the captain's quarters. He couldn't help but stare around at the beautiful objects Hannibal had collected and feel dreary in comparison. It was amazing that Hannibal had even let him enter his private quarters. And with a fever! He must have been covered in sweat, trembling and delirious - and Hannibal had hand-fed him broth and tea and gentled his fever.

Right next to treasures collected from all four corners of the world, and what Will suspected may be a missing Florin masterpiece - one about Spring.

To Will though, it just looked like a load of people standing about.

When Will had closed his eyes a moment, Hannibal had brought him a single sheet for his ridiculous over-sized bed, and then propped himself up on a chaise longue.

"You don't have to do that," objected Will. "These are your quarters."

The Dread Pirate remained elegant while he lounged about in his private space. Even spread out on the chaise longue he retained the same elegance - and the same air of coiled predation. Hannibal stared at Will for a moment, inscrutable as ever, then nodded.

"Very well," he agreed.

And with that he rose and laid down on the far side of the bed. Will curled up on himself a bit as he watched the man spread himself out comfortably over the bed. He seemed to drop into a state of repose immediately and laid flat on his back as his breathing slowed.

Right next to Will.

That had not been Will's aim, but he felt himself in no position to object.

A vivid sense-memory of a fevered Will clinging to Hannibal, trying to prevent him from leaving the bed assures him that this bed-sharing has been routine. The memory of clutching at Hannibal's chest not a moment ago returns but somehow, Will soon drops into a slumber.

…

_Will is in Florin._

_But it isn't his Florin that he knows. Green hills don't surround him, brown dead grass does. The milk is all sour and the crops are covered in pestilent insects. It's spring but the animals are born sullen, barely bleating. Even the bread is filled with maggots. The bed in his hut is too narrow._

_He is hot._

_There is a man next to him, embracing him in strong arms, laying him down on the bed. The man wants to rut into him and Will looks up expecting to see-_

_-he expects to see-_

_-but it's Hobbs, his dead face leering down at Will as he thrusts forwards and -_

Will wakes with a gasp.

For a moment he fears his fever has returned. Will's body is boiling hot. But a fever isn't the source of the heat -he's managed to spoon up against Hannibal in the night- he's practically on top of the man.

And the man sleeps bare-chested.

The sensation of it thrills Will for a long moment before he remembers himself.

Will stares at his hand where it's resting over Hannibal's heart. It's as if he's watching that hand in dreams and Will doesn't even dare move away. What if Hannibal should wake?

But to his horror, he realizes that he must move.

The first lingering remnant of the dream is that his body is drenched in sweat. The second remnant is that he is hard, and pressed against Hannibal's hip. Waking so suddenly with a shock seemed to have caused his arousal to lessen but he now found that he was somewhat cognizant of his position - that he almost had a hard time keeping his hips still.

It was humiliating. It was shocking - after that dream!

\- what had happened to Will's good sense?

Hobbs!

Will shudders.

Worst of all is that Will only manages to roll away from the Captain with a groan he barely muffles.

Turning himself over, Will stares at his hand again. It had been touching Captain Lecter. Right over his heart. There wasn't any way that Will could deny that there had been a certain - intimacy.

Will was struck again with a sudden vivid memory of staring at his hands after interrupting Hobbes and Bill. Their coupling had been rough and animalistic. The two men were both murderers. But still-

It had aroused something in Will.

Just then a deep sigh sounds out from behind Will, and he freezes. If Captain Lecter had realized what Will had done - he'd surely -

-but then.

To Will's utter shock, the larger man rolls over and reaches out a hand to Will's shoulder. His grip tenses briefly. When Will dares to look over his shoulder, he sees that Hannibal's eyes were still half shut, as the man rolls over and scoops Will back against his chest.

Still shocked, Will attempts to curl up into a ball.

"Warm," a familiar voice rasps into his ear. "So warm."

What on earth?

Will peeks back over his shoulder again - Hannibal looks as though he is sleeping - and then very slowly places his hand over then one Hannibal has splayed possessively over his chest. Inhales deeply, in tandem. Hannibal's head drops forward on top of his hair.

It was rather cozy actually.

Sleep took him quickly.

Will never felt the mouth pressed against him as it curved into a smile that showed teeth.

***

The next day, Will blinked awake in the bright afternoon sunlight.

Hannibal must have risen earlier and drawn the curtains in his chambers to let the warm light inside.

A breakfast of fresh fruits and tea was laid out on a small table. Will felt a rumbling in his stomach and decided to help himself. The planks weren't moving underneath his feet and Will let out a happy sigh as he padded on bare feet over to the table.

At last, some brief stability.

Will tucked his feet under himself as he sat at the small chair by the table. It seemed he'd been dressed in a large over-shirt, his own clothing had all been taken - he glanced around for it.

The swords and guns on the wall had been taken down. That's right, Hannibal was planning a raid on Mairland - and he had wanted Will to participate.

Just then the door to the quarters opened and the man himself strode inside.

"Speak of the devil," grumbled Will to his fruit plate.

Hannibal paused.

Abruptly aware that he was only clad in a nightshirt, Will crossed his arms over his chest.

"Where are my clothes," he demanded. "And don't look at me."

"I had them burned," explained Hannibal with a ghost of a smile. "Your clothing was all infected. It was necessary to prevent the spread of the fever."

"What!" cried Will. "All of it! What am I supposed to -"

"There is plenty of clothing here for you," interrupted the pirate Lecter. "The blue should suit you well enough."

Will turned his head and stared. The blue suit hanging in the corner suddenly did seem much too small for Lecter's frame.

"It's from the finest tailor in Florin," said Hannibal. He met Will's eyes, and added in a tone brimming with magnanimity, "though I had some parts adjusted for you by Bedelia."

Will blinked. The Captain was displaying eagerness, pride, some sort of hope - but could Will really see- he turned and stared at what was to be his new uniform. It looked as though it were made of the woolens sheared from the lambs just like the ones Will had tended to on the farm in Florin.

"I hate wool," he groused. "Reminds me of home."

Will stood up and crossed the cabin. He ignored waves of wounded pride emanating from the Captain. They were a put-on anyways. Reluctantly, Will fingered the cloth. It was thick but light. Will was used to rough cloth that took ages to wear in, to a more comfortable texture. He could tell this would feel soft against his skin.

"Thank you," he muttered. "It's very nice."

He glanced back over at the Captain, who was smiling at him now. A smile threatened to break out on his own face, but he stifled the urge.

"Put that on and I'll come back for you at midnight," orders the Captain. "We're almost assembled. You're to stay at the back of the fray and come forward when I need you."

Will feels his face morph into a scowl. He stares down at his bare feet.

"You'll not have to kill anyone Will," comes a sharp reprimand. "I may not require your insights on this raid. But your presence is mandatory."

There is a long pause. Will stares down at his feet still. He hears a huff, and then the Captain turns and exits.

After hearing the door close, Will turns and begins to dress himself. He may as well face the raid with shoes on.

***

Will was expecting Captain Lecter to come and fetch him from his quarters.

He's lounging petulantly on the bed when Matthew comes bursting into the room.

"Well come on!" cries Matthew. "I'm going to guard you - hurry up! We're going to miss out on getting anything good!"

Will stares at Matthew. The man is waving a pistol at him with little care to as to where it is pointed. His mind is entirely focused on pilfering the riches of Mairland and he's not really paying as much mind to Will. In fact, realizes Will - he might stop focusing on Will entirely.

Mairland is known to be a small but tough harbour. Lecter raiding it so often is wholly an act of bravado. But should Will find himself alone in Mairland … surely he could easily slip away… find a new ship, one headed back to Florin… it would be the right thing to do.

But why does the thought cause a lump to form in his throat? Wills swallows it away, ducks his head and follows Matthew out into to the moonlight.

***

Will almost wished he could blindfold himself during the raid. If only to rid himself of the dread coiled in his stomach.

The ship Revenge is docked with a skeleton crew in a bay well-hidden from the main harbor of Mairland. Once again, the crew set out on long narrow boats, laden with weapons. The boats slice through the water like knives. Soon the lights of the city appear on the horizon, stretching out over the water towards the wicked crew.

To Will's surprise, the pirates dock their boats silently and go creeping through the town's black darkness in perfect silence. Captain Lecter makes a few hand gestures to his crew and they set out on their missions. Will had always heard that the Dread Pirate Lecter was re-knowned for carnage and cruelty. Now though, the crew seem more focused on keeping their ship's supplies well-stocked.

Will stays close to the boats, near the dock, as ordered. He is more than content just to watch the pirates raid the stores of the town. Matthew guards him closely, but Will can sense the man's bloodlust, his longing to leap into the fray. But what fray? What battle? The raid is conducted in near silence, and already some of the crew are returning to their boats, laden with goods.

He stares at Tobias and Franklyn faltering under the weight of a crate of fruit as they exited a building that must be a market in total silence. They set their booty into their boat and then headed out to the market for more. Bedelia glides down the street, adorned with jewelry that shines in the moonlight. She pauses for a moment before returning to her own boat.

"I told you to be careful," she murmurs. "You haven't heeded that."

Will blinks at her. The elegant woman departs back into the town, likely to conduct another raid on a wealthy woman's coffers.

He glances around again- and Matthew is looking over his shoulder at the odd man with the antler hat.

Envious at his ability to fulfil his greed.

Will takes a few steps away from Matthew, hoping to escape into an alley. He tries to keep his foot steps light but soon finds himself breaking into a run.

***

The stone walls of the town are all high and cold in the moonlight. Alleys are tight together, wooden shutters hiding slumbering minds from the evil men who are invading the town in silence by moonlight.

Summer airs sits heavily on Will's lungs and he veers wildly around the town. He's escaped, but there must be a place to seek refuge…

Eventually, he sees a police station.

Will had always felt unnerved around the police in Florin. He can't imagine the police in Mairland - a less peaceful place than Florin by all accounts - will be any better. Cold comfort but, any port will do in a storm. If Will wants to escape the clutches of the Dread Pirate Lecter, this police station is his best hope.

Swallowing a sudden flood of nerves, Will enters.

There is no guard. Not at the doors, and not at the desk. Is the entire station left unattended? The fact that no one has raised the alarm, thinks Will ruefully, seems to indicate that it is so.

By some instinct, Will steps past the front desk, and walks towards the door that contains the cells. Villains and miscreants, he thinks. What bad deeds could lead a man to be locked up in this cell - and what is he thinking walking into this lion's den - oh.

There, slumbering in the moonlight, in the cell closest the door, is Katz.

Whatever crime his friend committed, decides Will, isn't worth being imprisoned for. Holding his breath he turns back to retrieve the keys to the cells from the slumbering guard. He enters Katz's cell in silence. Presses a hand over her mouth.

She awakes with a muffled shout, and her eyes widen to see Will standing there in the moonlight. He nods towards the door and moves to exit.

"Wait Will!" she hisses behind him. "Wait!"

He turns and frowns at her, presses a finger over his lips. Silence is crucial now!

Will decides he had best leave before Katz, to ensure that they aren't caught, and rushes towards the exit. Just as he reaches the door, Katz catches up with him and latches on to his arm in a steel grip.

"Will!" she hisses. "Let me explain!"

Confused, Will creases his forehead. Why stop now?

"Katz - there are pirates!"

"OH, we're well aware of that you must realize," interrupts an unfamiliar voice. "You two, come along with me now."

The is a tall, dark and not altogether unhandsome man standing in the doorway.

"Jack no!" hisses Katz at him. "You can't do this in the middle of the night!"

The man raises his eyebrows.

"Can't I?" he asks. "You seemed alright with the idea of escaping prison in the middle of the night."

Will starts backing away. He had thought that perhaps he could claim sanctuary with the authorities in Mairland - but this man is glowering, furious. The unnerved feeling the village constable from Florin had imposed on Will is magnified dramatically in this man's presence.

"We can negotiate your piracy sentence if you cooperate."

Flinching back against the hard stone of the prison walls, Will barely registers the man's words.

"I only have a few favors to ask of you. Our prison is rather crowded-"

 _No. Not this._ There is a reason Will had been frightened by the police …

"-I just need you to take a look and see if anyone should be set free."

…he didn't want to be recruited by them. Forcefully.

But now, things are different. The whole inner harbour is still positively crawling with pirates. Any one of them might take a fancy to raiding the police station.

Will is suddenly anxious that Jack doesn't find them. That Hannibal doesn't find him. Carnage wasn't in the plans for tonight. But Jack is dangerous - he wants Will to _look -_

-might as well look at Jack first.

Squaring his shoulders he meets Jack's eyes and steps forward. He reaches a hand out, and Jack appears bemused but doesn't stop him.

"-a case has affected you. You didn't know that there could be this sort of evil in the world. Even now when you look at it - you know he was under your nose the whole time-"

Will gasps. What he sees sends him reeling.

"Oh my God," he staggers back and finds himself leaning against the stone wall of the police station. "You had him. You let him go - he was killing lovers in the hills."

Jack seemed totally unperturbed. Pleased even, by Will's actions.

"It's like you said," he smiled. This was directed at Katz. Will reeled again, stunned. "Stunning insights Will - I did become a policeman after the killing spree in the hills. I can issue you both full pardons for piracy. You'll be fantastic additions to our force."

Katz reached towards Will, and he stared at her, stunned.

"It's going to be alright" she soothed. "Jack does great work here. You'll like Mairland."

"There's not a minute to waste," insisted Jack. "Come along, we need to investigate the Priest."

Will finds he has to lean heavily onto Katz to get his bearing, even if he wasn't sure he wanted to lean on her. Why on earth would she press him into the police force?

"The priest here's been accused of corruption," whispers Katz. "Got caught with a pile of gold and no explanation for it. Jack's in a real hurry to get him out of this jail though. It isn't great for morale, especially with all the pirates running around."

Will feels a suspicion begin to grow. How long had Katz and Jack been expecting him?

"How - how does he know Katz," murmurs Will in a weary tone. "I don't want to be called a witch again."

"Will! They aren't superstitious here - no one believes in witchcraft." Katz pats his arm. "I had to convince Jack I'm not a pirate when I washed up here, didn't I - and he'll give me a job!" Katz grins at Will broadly. "He'll even let me wear a skirt - not like I want to."

This last part is said a bit more loudly, for Jack's benefit. He is holding a set of keys on a large ring. Katz and Will are herded towards the cells.

_I shouldn't be here._

_Be cautious._

Will supposes it couldn't hurt to assess the Priest - he can't be too terrible after all. He is a priest. Maybe soon he'll find a way out of this and go back to Florin and - there he is now. The Priest.

Jack taps on the bars of the cell and the man's eyes fly open. They're as dark as night.

Will startles. He hadn't expected much darkness in the priest but now - he was falling into inky blackness -

_Their hair is golden their hands are small and clean. Small and clean and golden they look at him and -_

_-their organs are clean. They sizzle in the pot._

Oh no.

"No!" gasps Will. "Just small - those children!"

He's filled with a dark rage now and throws himself at the man, bars in the way be damned. "You disgusting monster!"

It's as though a beast inside himself woke up. He sees his hands - clean with no blood - and hates it. This man is still alive. It's an injustice. He has to make the world a better place. This man has to die.

That's all he knows.

Will's hands hurt - he's thrown himself against the bars again, trying to grasp the man by the throat and squeeze - he looks up at him and -

"Will!"

Jack is pulling him away. "Will, you have to LOOK at him! These crimes he's accused of are serious and he's an important part of this town! We need to clear his name!"

"No Jack," snarls Will. "I can't. I can't clear his name. He's a monster - he did it - how could you!"

If it weren't for Jack's strong arms holding him back, Will would have thrown himself against the bars again. In all the commotion, the tears and the red hot rage blurring his vision, Will doesn't notice the new threat entering the understaffed police station.

What he notices is Katz making a squeaking noise and locking herself inside an empty cell.

When he looks up, he sees Hannibal enter the jail, holding a beaten and bloody Matthew by the scruff of his neck.

Jack relinquishes his grip and Will scrambles away.

  
The police captain is going to stab Hannibal with his sword, realizes Will. And Will doesn't want Hannibal to be stabbed. The Dread Pirate Lecter has been far kinder to him than this police commander. Who would force him to buy his freedom by looking at - at that.

_Monster_

Will starts shaking, trying to force the visions from the man's mind from his head.

It's sickening those visions - dark but clear as day. Will feels nauseous - so much that it distracts him from Jack rushing for Hannibal with his sword and being met by steel. The two men are both formidable fighters. Ducking and weaving, and slamming into each other with incredible strength. Eventually, Hannibal winds up on Jack's back.

Like in a dream, Will sees his friend Hannibal's teeth close around the man's neck.

It should be impossible since Hannibal is sill bleeding from a sword wound (oh Lord the sword wound) but the teeth clench down and Will is left terrified once again.

So this is the source of the rumors regarding the Dread Pirate Lecter.

Jack slumps to the floor and Hannibal towers over him. Blood is ringing his mouth now. It's sprayed down the front of his shirt.

"Will," he greets. "I see you were disinclined to stay towards the back."

He grabs Matthew by the scruff of the neck and throws him into a disused cell.

"You are to be marooned here in Mairland, Matthew," Hannibal informs him. "I am very displeased with how you have performed your duties."

Matthew glares angrily from behind the bars. But he neither speaks nor moves.

Will watches from the floor, and flinches as Hannibal comes closer. Hands grasp at him and pull him against cold bars -

-Hannibal has his sword drawn -

-Will closes his eyes and tries very hard to imagine that he is back in Florin.

He doesn't want to hear the wet smack of meat hitting the floor. Doesn't want to hear the Priest's screams. Doesn't know that Katz is watching from the shadows, furious. Doesn't look at where Jack is prone on the floor, heaving for air.

Will is imagining the sunshine on his face. The rolling green hills, the soft bleats of the lambs. Abigail's face, laughing at him.

***

Will feels as though he is underwater, in a trance, the entire sailing time back to the ship Revenge.

The stars in the sky. The breeze ruffling through his hair and the gentle rocking of the narrow boat. Now he is in Florin, napping on a hillside on a summer's day. Now the boat rocks him back into reality.

Hannibal tries to pick him up, and Will is mortified. Mortified even more, as he pushes away the captain's hands and realizes he didn't reach the boat under his own power. He had been carried to it, bridal style, in a daze.

Away from a scene of carnage, his mind had fled faster than his body.

Boarding the ship Revenge, Will walks straight into Hannibal's cabin and begins stripping off to clean himself in the washbasin. Captain Lecter, good leader that he is, had been shouting orders at his crew. Divvying up the spoils of the raid.

Will glances at the nightshirt, and decides not to re-clothe himself with it. Lecter won't return any time soon, he reasons. He'll just lay down for a moment.

***

Of course, Will is awakened by the door slamming open, and two men carrying in a small piano.

They don't look at him, so he just buries himself deeper into the sheets and goes back to sleep. The ship feels as though it is moving very swiftly, if the unsteady rocking is anything to go by. It lulls the farmboy into a deep slumber.

He awakens to the sound of the piano being played. Hannibal is staring at him, intense as a big cat and his hands slow but don't stop their movements over the keyboard.

"Will," he greets. "I am so vexed that you found yourself in an unfortunate situation that evening."

With a groan, Will drops his face into his hands.

"I didn't like that man Jack - and that priest!"

Hannibal watches him attentively.

"He was -"

Will chokes on his words. He doesn't want to acknowledge the horror, he wants to stay in Florin. It feels as though it might shake him apart to acknowledge the horror. There is another factor at play too - would Hannibal put him to work as Jack had wanted? Did both men want the same of him? He can hardly deny his abilities now.

Hannibal is still watching him with an inquisitive air. Will spits out the truth.

"That priest cannibalized small children. For power. For pleasure."

The keys Hannibal is playing hit a sour note.

"Ah." Hannibal purses his lips. "A foul act from a swine."

Will made a noise of rage and frustration.

"No Hannibal, pigs are amiable. Hell is too good for that beast."

Hannibal raised his eyes to Will's, and Will was taken aback by a glint of sadness. Just as soon as it appears, Hannibal covers it up again with a glib answer.

"Then perhaps you shall not be angry with me that I cut off both his hands. In the process I believe I also took off a large piece of his tongue."

"No!"

To his horror, Will finds that he is biting back a hysterical, maniacal laugh.

"I had no choice Will," continues Hannibal. "He had grabbed ahold of you quite tightly. I was very vexed."

"Vexed," repeats Will, stunned, still laughing. "Because he'd grabbed me."

"Yes of course... May I continue." Hannibal pauses and waits for Will's nod.

"I must say that despite my long acquaintance with Jack Crawford - and he has chased me for an age now - I am most displeased that he exploited you in such a manner."

Hannibal pauses and takes a deep breath. "I shall leave it to your own judgment as to what circumstance you shall offer insight. I will not see you pressed into servitude."

Will found himself looking up at Captain Lecter with a smile stretching his lips. The gratitude that washed over him was overwhelming as the horror of the day, and Will found his knees shaking at the same time as he beamed at the man.

"You do understand, don't you," he laughed. "Read me like a book."

With a flourish, Lecter began to play again at his piano.

Will wrapped himself in a sheet and drifted over to the Captain's desk. The smile felt as though it couldn't be removed from his face. Will found himself looking through a few of the papers scattered there. Underneath the inventories and ship logs, he discovered a few pencil line drawings. There were streets scenes, from foreign lands. A few faces, limbs disconnected from any bodies. A bicep, drawn modestly. The round curve of a buttock. Dark curls rounding over a long neck.

Oh.

Eager, Will picked up the other papers. Unaware the piano playing had halted.

"It's me," announced Will, astonished. "Hannibal you -"

Hannibal is at his side in an instant. His eyes are like dark coals. He steps quickly up to Will's chest and Will finds himself incapable of doing anything but smiling up at him.

"Those are just," states the Dread Pirate. "Will-"

"-Hannibal. Please."

Will takes a step closer to the hulking man. His pulse is pounding. He moves closer, with meaning and looks up at the Captain from under his eyelashes.

The man inhales sharply, then leans in close. Will tilts his head up. A brush of breath sweeps across Will's lips and he leans forward.

Will half-expected to be devoured, to be met with the ferocity he can see coiled in the man. But the dreaded man's lips meet his own lips softly. Gently. So gently.

He breaks away and then presses his chest against Will again, like a question. Will coils his hands around the man's biceps. When he inhales his breath it is in a shudder as he feels Hannibal's strength. He lets himself be walked backwards towards the piano, while Hannibal claims kiss after kiss from Will's lips.

It's as though Will is drowning and dying of thirst simultaneously.

Just as Will feels the wood of the piano press against his back, Hannibal tries to lick into his mouth. Startled, Will gasps and breaks the kiss, looks down.

And then freezes.

There is a newspaper from Mairland folded open on the piano. Some sea dog must have thought it amusing enough to take it, or perhaps it had been on the piano all along. But no matter - the newspaper was folded open to a page that contained wedding announcements.

Abigail's cold and heartbroken face was staring out at Will, from a page announcing her wedding to Prince Humperdinck.

Will barely noticed Hannibal growing concerned as his knees gave out. Blood was rushing in his ears, his vision blurred with tears.

"No, not Abigail," he gasped, to Hannibal's horrified face. "Abigail... She can't marry him."


	4. Chapter 4

There were tears pouring down Will's face.

His hands hurt. The newspaper was cutting into them. Someone else was here with him, trying to make him stand up. Bring him to a bed. Will felt dazed.

"Breathe Will," whispered the voice into his ear. "With me."

A ragged inhale sounded in his ear and the chest pressed against his back moved. Feeling his heart jump, Will sucked in some air and then coughed before finally achieving a ragged inhale. Strong arms pulled him upwards and then put him on his side. To rest. The thumping of the heartbeat behind him steadied his own racing heart. Will started to relax.

No that was wrong.

Will twisted to look at Hannibal and froze. He hadn't meant to _look_ at the man, but now all he could see was himself - the mirror of his own pain and confusion.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. He reached out to touch the man's face, his high angular cheekbones. Then he leaned forward to kiss one cheek. Hannibal's breath caught then. "Have I ruined this?"

He wriggled forward a bit, since they were on a bed now, after all, and wrapped a leg around Hannibal's hip.

Hannibal dropped his head forward onto his own palm and rubbed one hand over his face. "Impossible."

Will felt a smile threaten to break out on his face, immediately followed by an intense flash of remorse. To laugh at a time like this? To smile? He took a deep breath. Reached up to rub at Hannibal's shoulders.

"I need to rescue Abigail. Tonight if possible." He stared up at Hannibal. "How far is Florin now?"

The captain was very still. He had already tensed some time ago. His face didn't move. He met Will's gaze after an age.

"It is a far journey Will. Even at top speed it would take days. We'd have to journey through eel infested waters and that is even before Humperdinck's men could catch wind of our presence, even before rappelling up the cliffs of insanity. Just -"

"That's alright!" interrupted Will. "Just - just leave me at the next port. I'll find a way."

"Leave you?" Hannibal's face was incredulous. "Will. That isn't an option."

"I'll go, I'll find her, I'll be fine. I have to Hannibal - please!"

The pirate's face broke at that last word.

"Very well then," sighed the Captain. "I was going to have Bedelia become Captain of a new ship. But I suppose that for a time she will do very well serving as an Admiral."

"An Admiral? What does that mean? You just need to drop me off at the harbour, don't re-arrange your entire crew!"

Captain Lecter let out a very long sigh. "It's a dangerous journey Will."

His profile was pensive as he stared into the night. "And I already find myself unwilling to let you make it alone."

***

Will paced around the cabin frantically.

Hannibal had left for a brief period, presumably to talk to Bedelia. To re-set the course of the ship. When he returned he pulled Will to bed with him.

Being wrapped up in Hannibal's arms, and tucked against his chest was agreeable enough that Will's thoughts slowed. It was only when he realized Hannibal had drifted off to sleep, that Will realized that this was the end of the evening. He craned his neck a bit to whisper into Hannibal's ear.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I want to."

The captain wriggled a bit in his sleep, then tightened his grip on Will and tucked his face into his prisoner's neck. Will inhaled deeply and went to sleep.

***

If he went to sleep with Hannibal wrapped around him more possessively than a Kraken wrapping it's tentacles around a doomed ship, Will awoke feeling more bereft of touch than the lungs of that ship's crew felt for air.

He made a noise of objection. When he sat up, blinking his eyes, he realized Hannibal was once again watching him from his chaise longue. With a yawn, he sat up and rubbed his eye.

"If we're going to do this," sighed Hannibal. "I'm going to have to teach you how to best defend yourself with a sword."

Will cocked his head to the side, baffled. A sword? Then he looked closer at Hannibal's demeanor and realized that the captain was feeling melancholy. And yet he had said...

"We're going to do this?" Will was delighted and scrambled over to the Captain, barely restraining himself from throwing his arms around the man.

"No Will," sighed Hannibal. "Go pick a sword from the armory. I'll meet you on the uppermost deck."

He rubbed a hand over his face. Lecter was still for a moment and then rose abruptly to depart.

Will stared after him for a moment, then shrugged.

How difficult could sword fighting be?

***

Lecter flicked his arm and Will let out a yelp of pain as his sword went flying from his hand and clattered to the deck, for the twentieth time.

"Will!" scolded Captain Lecter. "You must remain on guard! Pay attention to those around you!"

With a groan, Will traveled to retrieve his sword.

"Do you think I might just need a finer weapon?" he asked. Little hope colored his words. "That one keeps denting."

When Will had first perused the armory, he'd thought it would be a bit funny to choose a heavy sword with a diamond encrusted handle. He had wandered to the upper deck, holding the sword loosely in his hands. Captain Lecter had come crashing down from the rigging and startled Will so badly he barely had time to lift his sword in front of himself before his opponent's blows smashed it out of his hands and sent the sword skidding over the side of the ship.

Will gaped after it. Hannibal gaped at Will.

"That sword," came Captain Lecter's voice in a very severe tone, "belonged to the Jagioellan Dynasty. It was difficult to obtain."

Swinging his eyes back to Captain Lecter, Will was surprised to see a small twitch underneath his left eye.

"Sorry," he answered. The attempt to keep the defensiveness out of his tone was in vain. "But you startled me."

"Your enemies shall startle you as well," replied Captain Lecter in a grim tone. "Let me fetch you another weapon."

He departed without another word.

Feeling a bit sore about his failure, Will plopped himself down on the deck and then folded his arms behind his head. It wasn't fair of Captain Lecter to make him do this, he sulked. He would probably have an easier time rescuing Abigail through - other means. Subterfuge. Still though, the sun was warm and he tilted his head upwards.

Let out a happy sigh.

Only to gasp as he suddenly felt the sharp end of a sword slice open his shirt and then press hard into him, just above his navel. His eyes flew open to see Captain Lecter glowering down from above him.

"This is unacceptable Will," he snarled. "I am growing concerned that you lack a sense of self-preservation."

"This is unnecessary," snapped Will. "I'm on a rescue mission not an attack. Haven't you heard of subterfuge?"

His eyes widened in incredulity, but in a moment, Captain Lecter softened.

"These ideas suit you well," he sighed, and handed Will a much smaller sword. "My mission now is to teach you to beat back the world before the world finds opportunity to injure you."

With a sigh, Will gets to his feet and stand stands square before Captain Lecter.

"Alright," he sighs. "Let's fight."

But once again Hannibal comes crashing at him, all strength and steel. Will finds himself bowled backwards even as Hannibal calls out pointers on his stance, the grip of his sword. In no time at all, Will finds himself pinned against the ship's mast, Hannibal's weapon pointed into the middle of his chest.

"Mercy," he sighs, giving Hannibal a pleading look. "Perhaps I can leave the fighting to you?"

The Captain - and Will does feel as though he is speaking with only the Captain now, the warm embrace of the night long forgotten - makes a noise of frustration.

"Again," snaps the Captain. "And Will - try to dodge my sword this time, rather than run into it."

Stung by the Captain's tone, Will does his best to defend himself, but in no time at all, finds himself knocked flat and without his sword in hand.

"That hurt," he complains, rubbing at his posterior. "You didn't have to knock me down."

"Tell that to your enemies Will," sighs the Captain. "Now, again."

Twenty defeats later, he is sore, he is angry, and Captain Lecter is only growing more unreasonable.

"Unbelievable," snaps Captain Lecter. He gestures to where Will has once again dropped his weapon on the deck. "Have you never fought before in your life."

"I have too," sulked Will. "Often. Just not like this."

"Forgive me my doubts regarding that statement," snarls Captain Lecter. "This rescue mission is foolhardy."

Will gasped, and tried to fix Captain Lecter with a pleading look. But alas, the Captain's gaze hardened and he turned his back to Will. Frustrated Will threw down his sword. Captain Lecter started to turn around then, and Will never got to measure just how much fury was on his face. He rushed towards the larger man, grabbed him in a full nelson and kicked out his knees. With no small measure of glee, Will leaped onto his back.

Captain Lecter now found himself knocked flat onto his front and unable to move.

"Do you have more doubts Captain," hissed Will into his ear. Filled with spite, he grappled the man so his arms were fully around his neck. Squeezed. "Do you need another demonstration."

To Will's surprise, Captain Lecter just taps the deck, before Will can follow through with digging a knee into his kidney. Not expecting such a swift surrender, Will props himself up on all fours. When the man underneath him turns around, his face is flushed. He is staring at Will with a look of wonderment and trying to catch his breath.

"You had an element of surprise Will," pants Hannibal. His hand reaches up towards Will's face and then retreats. "Can you do it again?"

The large man rears up, attempting to use his strength and mass to knock Will over. Will goes down easily, rolls along his spine, then wraps his legs around Hannibal and uses the larger man's weight to propel him over and onto his back. He rears up with a bit of a smirk at Hannibal's grunt as he lands on his back this time.

"Do I need to show you many more times," he teases. "Would you like that?"

Hannibal swallows and runs a hand along Will's cheek. Will's eyes widen as he sees Hannibal's eyes, darkened.

"Although I would indeed enjoy that, you have made your point," exhales Hannibal. "Perhaps we should retire?"

It's a question and Will is confused for a moment about Hannibal's sudden hesitance -hasn't he ruled the day - until he grabs Will's hip and pulls him close.

"Oh!" gasps Will. "Yes - we should - I want to."

He sits up on his heels and Hannibal bolts up beside him. He folds Will's hand into his own and pulls him along to his room, so eager Will can't help the chuckles that erupts from him. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Bedelia watching, tall and regal at the helm. She gives him a cool look and Will turns his head.

His skin crawls for a moment.

But Hannibal pulls his hand again, and Will laughs, because Hannibal is bringing him to his cabin, and Hannibal is going to help him. It's a thrill, all that power and energy and strength - all for Will.

***

The two men crash into the cabin.

Hannibal shuts the door with a slam and Will surprises himself by pushing the larger man up against the wood and kissing him, a hard press of lips. The ashy blond inhales sharply and reaches up with two hands to hold Will's face delicately, kiss softly. He nips at Will's mouth.

With a whine, Will presses forward against him, pressing his urgency against the man. To his delight, Hannibal's hands drop from his face down to his bottom to hoist him up, and carry him over to his bed. Will lands with a bounce and smiles up at Hannibal as he removes his shirt.

"I think I see now why you were determined to cut at my shirt Hannibal," he laughs. "Have you had an evil plan all along?"

"Not evil. Pure Heaven," rasps out Hannibal, and Will is surprised to hear his voice so deep. "To have you. Possess you."

The man lurches forwards and kisses Will again. Will's heart feels full, bubbling up with happiness and he tugs at the buttons of Hannibal's shirt. When at last he's opened it, Hannibal presses forward again, pressing his own firm chest against Will's. The feel of it sends a bolt through Will and he gasps. Spreads his legs and feels that same happiness bubble up again as Hannibal surges forward, presses himself against Will deliberately.

Will feels as though he is being plundered as surely as any other possession Hannibal has claimed. His mouth is relentless, and he soothes along Will's flank before pulling at the laces of his breeches. A trembling shock runs through Will as Hannibal wraps a hand around him and takes him in a strong grip.

He'd been terrified of this. It had caused him nightmares, the doubts, the shadow of Hobbs barely a flicker in his mind. Now all he can feel is joy. Still, a whine escapes his mouth and his fingers dig into Hannibal's shoulders.

"It's too much," he pants. "Hannibal!"

The Captain just presses a softer kiss to his mouth, slows the motion of his hand. Gentles himself against Will.

Still though, the slow motion of the Captain's hand is like a slow liquid agony. The slow kisses Will begs from his mouth grow more heated. Soon, Will can't control the motion of his hips as they buck upwards into Hannibal's hand. Tears leak out of the corners of his eyes. He clenches them shut, opens his mouth to allows Hannibal to lick inside. Hannibal's other hand moves to press against the tight clench of his bottom then, just pushing at the rim and Will is coming, coming into Hannibal's hand, coming all over himself.

Will lays back, gasping for breath, seeing stars as he stares up at Hannibal. Hannibal is kneeling over him, grinning widely like a cat who got the cream as he licks his fingers. Or a lion, thinks Will muzzily. Fierce. Strong.

With a deep breath, Will sits up and starts unlacing Hannibal's braces. Not allowing himself to think too much about the meaning of what he's doing, he reaches into those pants and takes Hannibal in his hand.

"Will!" gasps Hannibal as Will starts to stroke him. His hands land on either side of Will's face again, from where he is still kneeling above. Will grins up at him, before leaning forward and taking a small lick at the head of him.

It's not bad at all, he decides. He runs it around his lips a few times, wetting them. The salt taste is growing stronger, so he puts a bit of it in his mouth and swirls his tongue around the head.

"It's good," he sighs, "Hannibal."

He leans forward then, and starts twirling it around in his mouth then. Will likes it, the way it fills his mouth. The way Hannibal looms over him, just restraining himself from pulling at Will's hair. The heat of it.

"Will," gasps out Hannibal. "Wait Will - I'm going to -"

In response Will just hums, gives a hard suck, and then finds himself rewarded with his mouth being filled with salty fluid. He swallows is all down, and tries to keep Hannibal in his mouth as long as he can before the man pushes Will down to kiss him deeply. At last, Will has to shove at his shoulders to get him to ease up, let Will breathe.

Hannibal kneels up on all fours only a little, but keeps his forehead dropped down to touch Will's. Will finds he can't wipe away the grin that's blossomed on his face.

"I only wish that I could keep you here forever," sighs Hannibal. "My most precious treasure."

Another happy noise erupts from Will's chest and he presses his face against Hannibal's shoulder. Hannibal amuses himself by stroking Will's hair and the two lay content for the moment. As the boat rocks forward into the future, Hannibal and Will stay in the cabin. As if to consume each other. As if to block out the world.

Will finds himself perched on Hannibal's back again soon, rubbing his hands deep into the shoulder's knots. The man's body softens under his touch becomes pliant, until he turns over and lets Will touch him to completion again. Will lays his head on the softest part of Hannibal's tummy and watches his every twitch and reaction closely. He rears up when Hannibal is nearing completion and then licks up his seed from his body after he shudders to his end.

Hannibal lays Will on his stomach then. He traces patterns on his shoulders, his lower back. Presses sweet kisses against his lips as he plays with his hair. Will tilts his head up to receive kisses and watches the light reflecting across the water dance across the ceiling. A liquid feeling moves through him, he feels content to let Hannibal arrange him as he wishes, have him as he wishes.

Hannibal starts kissing down his spine and then kisses him intimately and Will bites down on a clenched fist and shouts doesn't know whether to push himself forwards or backwards and then wails when Hannibal starts to push a thumb into him. In no time he's a greedy desperate thing, trying to push himself back onto any part of himself Hannibal wants to offer and when Hannibal pushes all of himself into Will he has to cover Will's mouth with a hand because Will can't stop his shouts. It hurts, it's too much and Will is crying as he comes again, rides back into Hannibal's completion.

Afterwards Hannibal clings to him eve more, wants to pet his hair, his ears, his face. Wants to inspect the more tender parts of Will's body and try to kiss them better and oh.

It's night when Will turns to Hannibal, facing him on the pillow. Their hands are intertwined and clasped in between them.

"We have to go out soon," he sighs. "Face the world."

"What is the world," sighs Hannibal. "I fight for the world no longer. Just bring me yourself and I will be content."

Will surges forward and kisses him again and oh.

But all too soon, there is a summoning knock.

The ship has arrived at the Cliffs of Insanity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that wasn't too dull! It was really very necessary to moving the plot along. ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ 
> 
> [ come hang out on tumblr ](poissonchocolatecake.tumblr.com)


	5. Chapter 5

Will stared at the ship Revenge as it sailed away.

"I hope we've made the right decision Hannibal," he sighed. "Those pirates are known to steal." He quirked his mouth at the pirate. "We wouldn't want to wind up on the streets."

"They'd be hard pressed to locate any gold on that ship," replied Hannibal. "I've hidden the lion's share of it in Switzer and of course the estate in Patagonia is always useful."

Will gawks for a moment. "You mean to say you have more gold than was on the ship?"

"Of course Will," replies Hannibal, mildly surprised. "That was merely a small portion."

A small portion - Will is amazed. The treasures on that ship alone were significant. But Hannibal is rowing now, strong shoulders pulling at the oars and propelling them towards the Cliffs of Insanity. Waves lap at the boat with gulping sounds and Will looks up to the moon.

It's light casts a shining path along the waters towards the two men in their small boat. Will feels peaceful, even as he hardens his resolve to his mission. Abigail must be terrified.

She was no wilting delicate girl, but Will had seen Prince Humperdinck's coronation. Through the cheering crowd, he had looked at the man's eyes shortly after the large golden crown had been placed upon his brow, and been terrified. Florin was peaceful and prosperous, but under the leadership of such a dead-eyed man - for how long?

There were whispers too. Whispers of certain individuals disappearing from their beds in the night, never to be seen again. Newspapers were becoming hard to find. And then of course there was the sad issue of the Prince's first wife. She had been discovered brutally murdered the day after their wedding in the middle of the Thieves Forest. It had nearly caused a war -only averted at the last minute by the King of Florin's declaration that the scraps of uniform from a neighbouring country discovered at the scene of the crime was too thin of evidence, too obvious a plant.

The statement was damning evidence in and of itself. Something was rotten with the crown prince of Florin. And even the King hadn't snuffed it out.

Will sighed and reached into the cool, still waters to wet his finger tips. He had scarcely reached towards the deep when Captain Lecter let out an enormous sigh.

"Careful Will," he said, gesturing to their starboard side. "The eels are gathering."

Snatching his hand away from the water, Will stared with round eyes at the churning waters. Hannibal increased the speed of his rowing then, trying to speed them towards safety. Will felt a churning unease as they began approaching the Cliffs.

Perhaps Hannibal had had a point when he claimed Will was too reckless. The swarm of eels was all around them now. Sweat was beading Hannibal's brow as he worked to carry them the last few yards to the Cliffs. Once they did reach the Cliffs, Will's fear mounted.

There was nowhere to stand at the foot of the Cliffs and the rocks looked smooth - as difficult to climb than Hannibal had warned.

  
"Just hold on to my back," insists Hannibal. "It will be faster that way."

Will stared at him, incredulous. "How is that faster? Hannibal I’m not that small."

"I've climbed these cliffs before," insisted Hannibal. "This is faster."

The pirate pointed at a section of the cliff face that was indeed craggier. "We'll be able to climb that way quite easily."

Will closed his eyes for a moment. It was entirely possible that Hannibal could piggy back him up this sheer cliff face over eel-infested waters. He was strong, very strong. There was little doubt that Will had yet to see just how strong the Dread Pirate Lecter truly was. But still.

He opens his eyes again. Blinks.

The waters around them are churning now. Eels are sending lightning towards their rowboat in bright flashes. Will stares up at the cliff again and - oh.

"Well if you insist that climbing up with cliff with me on your back will be easier than climbing that rope," sighs Will. "Then I will gladly let you do more of the hard work."

Hannibal does a double take at the sight of the rope hanging from the cliff. It looked a bit as if someone had climbed that same path long ago, and neglected to remove the rope when they had reached the top.

"Fine," he snaps. "But hold on." Hannibal pushes the boat on it's oars over to the rope and hands to Will. "You first."

Will is even ashamed of how quickly he grabs the rope and starts climbing. But Hannibal _has_ climbed these cliffs before, he reasons. He hastens along though, and glances back down to see how far Hannibal has climbed.

For a moment he loses his breath.

Hannibal isn't struggling, but the waters beneath him are white and churning with eels. If either of them should slip - Will wipes his brow and starts climbing steadily higher. Before long his legs are aching and his arms are burning. Sweat is dripping into his eyes, and when he finally pulls himself over the edge of the clifftop and throws himself down into the grass he's gasping for breath and red-faced.

In no time at all though, Hannibal's head is popping up over the edge, and he's vaulting himself onto the grass next to Will with a smile.

"That was invigorating," he declares. He stretches his arms up over his head and grins down at Will. "I do feel ready to continue. Shall we go on?"

He sticks out a hand to help Will up. It takes all of his inner strength not to curse as he takes a gasp of air and grasps that offered hand. When he's back on his feet, he wobbles for a moment, but Hannibal grasps him around the shoulders to hold him up.

"I'm fine," he insists. "We just need to - rest a moment. We'll have to head through the Fire Swamp and the Thieves Forest. Who knows what sorts of people might be in there."

"People like us Will," sighs Hannibal. "I'm ready when you are."

The two head set out for the Fire Swamp.

***

With a shriek, Will jumped away from the rodent of unusual size. Hannibal chuckled and speared it easily.

"Well I don't think it's difficult getting through this Fire Swamp..." The pirate pulled up his sword and wiped it on the forest moss. "People must be afraid of their own shadows in this country. We would have eaten plenty of those in Lithland."

Will scowled. He still had sand in parts of his body where there should be no sand. Hannibal had behaved as though there were something amusing about pulling Will out of a sand pit in the Fire Swamp. He'd been a bit more concerned when the fires had singed Will's eyebrows though.

"No one has ever travelled through this Swamp and lived Hannibal," insists Will. "We should have just gone around it."

"Nonsense," declares Hannibal. "This place contains fewer terrors than I had defeated by the time I became an adolescent."

A popping sound started behind Will, and he jumped away from the flame spurt that flew up behind him.

"That can't be - Hannibal your childhood surely wasn't marked by giant rats, fires and bottomless pits."

Will reaches out a hand to steady his path along another sand pit, and Hannibal pauses a moment.

"Can you imagine me as a child Will?"

For a long moment, Will pauses to think of how Hannibal must have been as a child. Faster and stronger than the other children of course. But sandy haired. An innocent face with a creeping darkness. Nothing good would have happened in his childhood. A popping sound starts again and Will is almost too slow to step away, even with Hannibal's guiding hand on his lower back.

"I don't think I want to," he sighs. "Whatever you were like as a child - you're different now."

Hannibal makes a pleased face at him. "Perhaps your powers of observation have started to penetrate my mind?"

Will bites his lip. It had been so restful being with Hannibal - no _noise_ \- that Will had almost started to forget the days he had spent as an outcast - fearing accusations of witchcraft.

"No," he answered, surprised at the fact. "But I - I do suppose it's all very interesting."

He gave the pirate a small smile, and the man returned it warmly.

They keep walking.

***

When at last the two emerge from the Fire Swamp, they see a pack of soldiers and hide behind a bush.

The soldiers are exchanging harsh words with a man in black. The man seems furious but unafraid, even as they knock him over the head.

"He seems familiar," sighs Will. "But I can't quite put my finger on it."

"I do hope you usually keep better company than that Will. He barely put up a fight."

Will found himself rather annoyed. "Can you stop joking about? They've clobbered him over the head. Those were Humperdinck's men. These are the sorts of cretins Abigail has been handed to."

"As you wish," sighed Hannibal as he stood and pulled Will up after him. Will was shocked into stumbling into the long line of Hannibal's body. "We had best try to reach the Capitol within a day - two at most. Will?"

His brow was furrowed as he stared down at his curly haired companion. Will found himself agog - of all things - and Hannibal just stared down at him, with a perfectly serious expression.

"Really?"

Memories of that phrase and it's meaning were flooding through him. Abigail, unable to reach a pan. Westley, near speechless at the sight of her. Will - Will thinking he'd never be a part of a scene such as that.

"Speed is of the essence," answered Hannibal. "We must rush to take action lest all our efforts shall be in vain."

"Right - right," replies Will. "Of course. Action."

The words are stuck in his throat. Will wants to say it so desperately but -

"Well?" Hannibal is poised to continue along their path. He's looking over his shoulder at Will. "Will, we must continue on our journey."

"As you wish," he mumbles, almost too quietly to be heard. "Of course."

He keeps his face down as he stumbles to catch up with Hannibal's long strides. It's possible he's blushing.

***

Will felt as though he had been walking along the green hills forever when he spotted the Inn.

He raced to catch up to his companion.

"Hannibal," he said softly. "We should stop there. Do you see that?"

The man's gaze followed where Will was pointing. A small Inn was on the horizon. It looked incredibly cozy, from the garden by the front door filled with riotous colors to the thatched roof with a piping chimney outlined against the red sunset. Will imagined a fire crackling in the hearth, a hot bowl of food and a soft pillow for his head. Right now his feet were wet and cold. He stank. Will licked his lips and imagined that there was probably even a warm bath for him at the Inn.

"No."

The tone invited no argument. Hannibal just kept marching resolutely away from the Inn.

"No?" Will nearly stamped his foot. "Why on earth no? It's nearly dark and I'm tired of sleeping on the ground."

"It is inadvisable due to our current mission."

"So? What if something terrible happened tomorrow? I could perish. Wouldn't you regret -"

"Stop!" Hannibal's eyes are flashing. "Do not speak lightly of such matters. There are eyes and ears everywhere in this Kingdom Will. It would only take one report of my presence to derail our entire mission."

"So - put up your hood and let me talk. They aren't as desperate to find the Dread Pirate Lecter right now. Not with a Royal Wedding coming up. They have bigger concerns."

"No."

"Yes!"

Hannibal whirls around and stares at Will. For a moment Will is truly nervous that their confrontation is going to turn ugly, but then Hannibal sighs.

"As you wish," he says in a dry tone. "But I do hope you've thought of a fantastic cover story."

***

Will can't help but feel a bit proud of himself as he sashays into the rather large suite at the Inn they've procured. Surely Hannibal would now see that Will had made the correct decision in coming to this Inn. The innkeeper's reaction had been hilarious.

But when the door clicks shut behind him, Will finds himself turned and pinned against it's wooden planks. Before he can voice his surprise Hannibal has pressed his lips against Will's as though he wishes to devour him whole. With a whine, Will parts his legs and Hannibal presses in, hard and demanding against him. But Hannibal is biting at his lip now, pulling at his hair and Will likes it - it's shameful how much he likes it - but there is something else.

"Talk to me," he demands as Hannibal starts a series of biting kisses along his neck. "Tell me -"

"He flirted with you," growls Hannibal. "That awful innkeeper wanted to bed you - and you smiled at him."

This is punctuated by Hannibal grasping Will's wrists and pushing them back against the door. It's not painful but it sends a thrill through Will that has him gasping. He tries to regain control of his wrists and finds them held fast.

"You have been a very naughty boy Will," Hannibal says into his ear. "That poor fool thought he had a chance."

"He didn't," Will protests. He tilts his head up to allow Hannibal better access to his neck. "I didn't. He gave us this room without charge because we're honest Florin folk. That's what he said."

"We are not," hisses Hannibal in that same low voice. "We are nothing of the kind."

If Will was honest with himself - it had been amusing, and more than a little flattering.

The moment Will had entered the Inn, he'd felt eyes on him. When he'd looked up, he'd met the eyes of the Innkeeper and nearly been bowled over by the emotion.

_Desire._

_Oh he's a pretty one a very pretty one just look at that mouth imagine what he could do with that mouth bet he loves it - Oh would I were younger I would I would the curve of that body - Oh_

_Disappointment._

Will had taken a step back when he'd realized that yes, indeed, he did love what he could do with his mouth, but good gracious he only wanted to do that with one singular man - and he backed into Hannibal who had laid a concerned hand on his shoulder.

Fearing detection as the Dread Pirate Lecter, Hannibal had shifted himself into the background and put up his hood. He seemed genuinely anxious about avoid the crowd at the Inn. Will felt a small moment of regret at insisting they stop, but the idea of a warm bed comforted him.

The Innkeeper's eyes lit up when Will started to approach him, so Will smiled a bit wider. The man at the counter was older than Will by a good few years, and had a round belly on him - but his smile was kind enough. His eyes were wide as Will laughed at his jokes as he sat down. He wasn't entirely unpleasant and - well, Will couldn't help but enjoy it. His gift of observation hadn't shown him he was desired ever before - perhaps it was a side-effect of being with Hannibal.

But as for the Innkeeper - it was flattering in the extreme, how the man had just thrown his hands up and offered Will his best room when he'd tried to ask about prices for the night. As he threw back his head and laughed, he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise and realized Hannibal must be staring at him.

The innkeeper had handed him the keys to his room and his hand had lingered for a long moment on Will's. Will cleared his throat, and when he went to stand he found that his back had bumped up against Hannibal's chest where the man was looming behind him.

"Please, you must give me your card," announced Hannibal. "Or some means of remembering this establishment."

"No - we'll just be off to bed now," interrupted Will. "Thanks though."

Now Hannibal had him pinned against the doorway like a large possessive, predator. He started to tug open Will's shirt with his teeth, then seemed to give up and licked a long stripe over the fabric before biting down on a nipple. Will let out a loud wail and bucked forward.

"But I didn't -"

Hannibal doesn't seem inclined to show him any mercy though, keeps crowding him against the door, keeps biting at his neck and his chest, keeps grinding into him and Will throws his head back with a loud whine as he tries to ride out his pleasure against Hannibal's leg. Just as Will feels he is about to reach his peak, Hannibal steps back from him. Will lets out a high keen of protest and feels himself shuddering as he leans back against the door heavily.

The Dread Pirate Lecter is walking towards the bed in their room now, stripping off his shirt and trousers as he goes. Soon he is bare, presenting a scar covered but tan and muscular back to Will. He's fishing something out of his trouser pocket and - oh.

"You brought that," says Will, still slumped against the door. "Of all the possible provisions - you brought that."

While he said this Hannibal was turning to lay down on that wide soft bed Will had longed for and turning back to him with a smirk.

"Of course I brought this," explained the pirate. "I need it."

Will's eyes widened as Hannibal's hand reach down to stroke at himself. And then lowered to touch himself. Intimately.

"Will, it would be a sad state of affairs indeed if you were to stay pressed against that door all night while I pleasure myself..." At the end of this statement Hannibal's back arched as he made a press of fingers into himself. He was splayed out over the bed, spread out, displaying himself. "Will!"

At Hannibal's sharp tone, Will found himself lurching forward instead of pressing against the door. Standing at the foot of the bed he stared at Hannibal as he continued to touch himself. The Dread Pirate had an incredible physicality, he rippled and flowed under his own touch as he gasped at Will.

"Will," glowered the man, and Will gaped at him as though he had been struck by a hand not words. "Are you going to just stand there forever." He heaved in a breath and gasped. "Are you going to show me if you want me?"

To his shock, Will found himself breathing in the same deep rasp as Hannibal had exhaled.

"I want," he exhaled. His hands were on Hannibal's legs. He was reaching towards his hips he was struck by the movements of Hannibal's hands. "You can't imagine - I want to. Let me."

He found himself touching Hannibal with a ferocity that he barely recognized as himself. He wanted to cut and burn and hurt and possess. His kisses bruised. He dug his nails raked over muscle. When he saw Hannibal gasp for breath he nearly wanted to press his hands around the man's throat and squeeze. It was a fierce possessive desire overcoming him, and Hannibal welcomed it, sat up to grasp at Will a moment then pull him inside his body and Will thrust his hips forward into that tight heat, followed that desire to it's end.

For a long moment he paused, feeling Hannibal clench around him.

He stared down at the man and snapped his hips forward, fast and hard. Hannibal let out a gasp of pleasure, and Will grinned fiercely. He was gasping, flushed and sweating - thrusting wild and hard into the body underneath him. Will looked in his eyes and saw nothing but desire for him - even as Hannibal's eyes started to tear up, even as an incredulous expression filled his face. Will followed that expression, that intoxication and let his hips snap in their harsh rhythm, push and punish the man underneath him with pleasure.

Hannibal was going to come, realized Will with a shock. Hannibal was going to come around him much sooner than Will had anticipated, and he hissed with satisfaction as the man's eyes widened, his hips bucked upwards, and Hannibal's seed pulsed out of his achingly hard cock to the rhythm of Will's hard thrusts inside him. He stared up at Will with a shocked expression, eyes wet, as he rode out the last few pulses of his completion with a gasp.

If he was now wearing a large smirk, Will thought, he could not be blamed.

When he went to pull back though, Hannibal roused enough to make a noise of protest and wrapped his legs around Will to keep him inside. Will groaned at the tight heat, and tried to restrain the urge to fuck into the man underneath him ruthlessly - surely that would be uncomfortable for him.

"No," complained Hannibal, voice thick. "Inside."

"Are you sure," gasped out Will. His hips were shaking and he leaned forward to steal a brief kiss. "Is it too much?"

"You're perfect," gasped Hannibal. "Will - please -"

Words seemed to fail the pirate then, and he made an undulating motion with his hips that had Will groaning and slamming forward, shocked at his own selfishness as he used the willing body underneath him, even as that body moved to meet his thrusts. Sweat dripped from Will's brow and landed near Hannibal's lip, and he snaked out his tongue to lick it up. That, of all things, seeing Hannibal move to consume him, pushed him over the edge and he emptied himself into Hannibal with a long groan before collapsing onto him.

He stayed a moment to catch his breath. Inhaled deeply. Then he tried to prop himself up, and found Lecter's arms wrapping around him demandingly.

"Stay," he murmured into Will's curls. "Will - you've ravaged me."

A flash of guilt bolted through Will, and he sat to look over Hannibal's body. Hannibal made another noise of protest while Will kneeled up with a wince. They were getting rather sticky and to his dismay, Hannibal was covered with red scratches, and some marks that were already turning dark. He spread Hannibal's legs further and stared at his hole, puffy and red with a small trickle of his fluid. Hannibal smiled up at him, looked sleepy and sated and altogether too much like a cat who got the cream.

"Hannibal I -" Will pressed fingers at where he'd fucked into the man. An apology was on the tip of his tongue, but he quieted it. "Are you?"

"I’m going to be a bit sore tomorrow," smiled Hannibal. "Will - thank you. This side of you is beautiful. Magnificent."

"Sore - Hannibal no! That isn't magnificent!"

Will was laughing though, even though he felt contented. "Bath," he decided firmly. "This room has a bath. I want a bath - and then bed."

Hannibal grumbled at bit at Will leaving the bed to draw a bath, but got up again willingly enough to let Will clean him off. He washed Will's curls with an intense carefulness that reminded Will of the tender, careful way he'd handled Will's own body and made him kiss the man, tender and demanding in turns.

When they'd tumbled back into dry white sheets Will's last thought before sleep was that their quest was sure to triumph. Nothing could possibly go wrong

***

The walls around the capital city were high and white.

As the two men enter the capital city, a man clad all in black and a blonde woman go racing by on a horse and nearly knock the two men over. The man in black is followed by a very large man, and a man with a large moustache. But what bothers Will isn't that they've been knocked into. It's that he recognizes where he knows the man in black from now.

"Is that Westley?" wondered Will. "Oh Lord Hannibal, thank goodness we came. I thought he loved Abigail. I was sure of it."

For a moment Will had an urge go back and attack the false, dreadful boy. "What on earth is he doing with that blonde woman. That isn't Abigail."

Will could picture himself _grappling the man down in a strong grip, pressing his thumbs against a windpipe, a pair of eyes, blood welling up..._

  
"We must make haste then," sighed Hannibal. "Will are you sure Abigail wishes to escape? If Westley has forsaken her…"

Blinking away his dark thoughts, Will glanced around.

It wasn't hard to see the path to take to reach the Royal Wedding. Revelers lined the streets dressed gaily wearing wide smiles. Will couldn't blame them though, as who else but him could possibly realize just what sort of man Prince Humperdinck truly was?

"I am ever more certain," he sighed. "Now come on, we've got to reach a cathedral and stop a wedding."  


"As you wish," smiled Hannibal, and Will found himself smiling right back.

***

"Who are you?" demanded the guard. "You need an invitation to see this wedding."

Will tried not to groan and smiled appeasingly at the thick headed guard.

"My name is Will," he explained. "I've known Abigail forever - I just need to see her."

"You don't have an invitation," repeated the guard. "No invitation, no entry."

He looked over Will and Hannibal with undisguised suspicion. "There could be all types trying to get into this wedding," he concluded. "Untrustworthy ones."

Hannibal placed a hand on the small of Will's back. "Come Will, there must be a better way."

Will sighed. It was true, most likely.

"Anyways," added the guard. "The wedding was moved forward on account of too many suspicious types hanging about. The Dread Pirate Roberts was spotted you know."

"Moved forward?" gasped Will. "What?"

"The Dread Pirate _what?"_ demanded Hannibal simultaneously.

"Prince Humperdinck and Princess Abigail are already wed and off towards the royal palace already," explained the guard. "There's nothing inside the cathedral square but a whole load of free food and drink - hey don't you want any?"

This was said to the backs of the two men. Will had already took off running, and Hannibal was following in hot pursuit.

***

"We have got to find her soon," gasped out Will as he ran up a back staircase of the royal castle. "He's killing his brides, I know he is - I can _see -_ "

"We shall," soothed Hannibal. If Will were a more petty man he would resent the pirate's stamina as he ran along beside Will without losing his breath. "This castle is not unlike one I recall from Lithland as a child."

"What? Lithland? Hannibal -"

The pirate had already sped off though, and was rounding twisting corridors and corners at a breakneck speed. It seemed as though the inner chambers of the Royal Family had been constructed as a purposeful maze. At one corner, he put out a hand to stop Will. With wide eyes, Will watched the King of Florin himself go wandering by in a nightgown.

"Dismissed the guards for privacy," he mumbled to himself. "That son of mine. I should get another."

The King seemed absorbed in his own thoughts, and didn't seem to feel the eyes that were upon him and waiting with baited breath for him to exit to another chamber.

"We're close," whispered Will. "Thank goodness."

But he had spoken too soon.

Just as the words left his mouth, he very briefly heard an extremely familiar scream, from extremely close by.

"Hurry," he sobbed out. "Abigail!"

At last, Hannibal was pulling open a bedroom chamber door to a shocking sight.

***

Will felt as though he could collapse.

He was so relieved.

There was nothing holding him up but Lecter's strong arms.

Abigail on the other hand, looked as though she required a great deal more support.

"You don't understand what he was going to do to me," sobbed Abigail as she wiped Prince Humperdinck's blood off her hands onto his mink bedspread. "He was so cruel. You can't imagine it."

"Abigail, listen to me."

Will craned his head around to stare at Hannibal with wide eyes. Abigail followed suit and stared up at the imposing pirate with her tear filled gaze.

"You had every reason to defend yourself. This was no man - he was a monster. These things he wished to do to you were abominable."

Abigail took a deep shuddering breath and pressed her lips together as she nodded up at Hannibal.

"I can help you now," continued the sea dog. Will's hand clutched convulsively at his arm. "If you let me."

"Hannibal!" exclaimed Will. "We need to just bring Abigail home-"

"No!" protested Abigail. "Those people aren't my family. They sold me like a pig to slaughter. They knew what Prince Humperdinck could do and they didn't care about me!"

"We care about you now," insisted Hannibal. He brought a hand to rest against Will's cheek. "Come with us. I care for Will as family. I know that you do as well."

A shouting from the guards sounded out from the hallway, behind the barred door and the three figures in the room all jumped.

"We need to go now," decided Will. "Lets just go out the window."

He ran towards the window and was delighted by the sight that greeted him below. There were three horses waiting for riders saddled up and waiting. He clicked his tongue at one and it immediately gazed up at him with a curious neigh.

Will was so relieved he let out a happy laugh.

"We might actually be alright," he cried. "Come on!"

Over by Prince Humperdinck's corpse, a silent exchange was occurring while Will cooed at his new horses.

As Hannibal reached over to help Abigail stand up from the remains, he paused, and raised an eyebrow at her. Clutched in her hand was the messy remains of a human liver.

She lifted her chin defiantly to him. Hannibal's face split into a wide grin. He opened his leather satchel and nodded towards it. Abigail dropped the grisly trophy inside.

Hannibal pulled her over to the window, and the three scrambled down the roof to where the horses awaited. Hannibal helped Abigail onto the smaller mare and then swung up onto Winston behind Will.

Will settled back into Hannibal's chest as the three started trotting out of the city.

"You know," mused Captain Lecter behind him. "I can't help but feel you would make a wonderful Pirate Abigail."

"Better that than a Princess," agreed Abigail.

"It won't take long to procure a ship." Hannibal's arm tightens on Will's for a moment. "But I must confess I am contemplating retiring in Patagonia." A pause. "Would you join me Will?"

"Of course," agrees Will without hesitation. Abigail gasps with delight and claps both hands over her mouth. "But you will have to promise to visit Abigail. After you become a Dread Pirate and rule the seas."

"Always," answers the girl.

As the three exit the city and race towards the harbour, Will thinks of just how much he is going to love finally having some peace.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that was fun!
> 
> I never got it beta'd, so feel free to point out errors, etc. I hope you have enjoyed this wacky AU with it's made up country names.
> 
>  
> 
> [come hang out on tumblr](poisonchocolatequake.tumblr.com)


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